


A Phoenix’s Promise

by Scarlett_Scar_Face



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adoptive Mom & her son, F/M, Family is important, Female Tony Stark, Not Steve Friendly, Toni Stark Needs A Hug, Toni’s a great mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-06-09 08:56:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15263937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlett_Scar_Face/pseuds/Scarlett_Scar_Face
Summary: That was the day her heart broke in two, causing the mournful death of Natasha Antonia Stark. Toni Stark, however, emerged from the ashes of broken promises and treachery like a Phoenix.





	1. The Spark

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy what I imagine Tony Stark would be like as a woman and AU I’ve created for her to flourish in.   
> Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ  
> ALSO: ANY AND ALL mistakes are my own as I am alone in this cruel cruel world 
> 
> Ps: I’m also on FanFiction.net and have posted this story on there as well while I was waiting to receive my invite to AO3, sorry I’m just super impatient and wanted to see how it would do ┐(‘～`；)┌
> 
> BUT UPDATES WILL BE ON BOTH

“Why” 

She's barely holding herself together as she whispers, "Why? You promised you wouldn't do this, wouldn't _lie_ and _betray me_. I deserve to know **why**." As an escaped tear rolls down her cheek, in an instinctual response she stands up straight – weight 2/3 forward, shoulders down and back to feel the pull across her chest, feet shoulder width apart and in a perfect second parallel, her head, shoulders, hips all in a flawless straight line, arms parallel to her body, head slightly elevated – and looks at the man she had trusted with everything. "I always knew you were a liar. But I guess I can't say anything because I've been knowingly ignoring the truth."

Silence.

" **Coward**." She spits as she turns her back on him. Turns her back on the man who she had given everything to. Turns her back on who she was, and vows to never become that dependent on someone, to let herself be consequently consumed by that damnable emotion.

That was the end of her relationship with Steve Rogers and with it all of his lies and betrayal. That was the day her heart broke in two, causing the mournful death of Natasha Antonia Stark. Toni Stark, however, emerged from the ashes of broken promises and treachery like a _**phoenix**_.

**Two Years Later: Queens** ******__** ________

~~~~

 

Peter Parker was what could only be described as _lucky_.

He, of course, would never use such a word to describe the plethora of devastating events that was his brief life. At only six years old, he had already lost  so much. He had no living relatives left and in conclusion was currently on his way to an orphanage. The adults had told him repeatedly it was a place for "children waiting on a new family to come get them." But Peter knew better than that, it was a place for unwanted children.

To put it simply, he did not want to go.

No, he couldn't go, for it would mean that he was truly alone and unwanted in this cruel, cruel world. And Peter Parker, even at the tender age of six, was a fighter. He would not, could not go down that rabbit hole. So, he did what he did best, he ran. He ran faster than he had ever in his life; ran like the devil himself was chasing after him.

And boy did he run.

He ran straight into Toni Stark. Toni caught him just before he had run into oncoming traffic in a dashing attempt to escape his captors. Just as he was turning around to fight off his captor, he met her eyes and was dumbfounded. Never in his short life had he met someone so small, so beautiful and yet so fierce.

"That was a close one, pipsqueak. You gotta be more careful in the big city." Her voice, as soothing as it was, snapped him out of his trance and he immediately started to try to break free of her hold.

"Let me go! LET ME GO! I gotta run, they're after me!" He yelled as he kicks and squirms in an attempt to be free of her surprising strong grip. She went still and her grip tightened.

"Slow down there, kid. Who's after you?" She said in a commanding voice. Peter stopped trying to break free when he looked at her concerned look.

"The bad people are trying to take me to the orphanage, b-but I don't want to be unwanted! I won't go, I won’t!" His little body was shaking violently in her arms, but despite those tremors his voice was surprisingly commanding and steady and the fire in his watery eyes was not to be dismissed. Toni was, to say the least, impressed.

She tapped her ear, "FRIDAY, call the lawyers and have them contact the adoption center that this little bugger was running from. I'm claiming this little monster as mine." She always was an impulsive buyer. After the tentative confirmation and a sharp warning from FRIDAY, she looked down at the fiery little boy in her arms and couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on her face. "You don't want to be alone?" He hesitated for a second and then nodded very slowly. "Me either, so how about you come home with me?"

Silence.

Toni watched as the little boy weighed his options, again she was impressed by his maturity for such a young age. Finally, she received her response in a small little voice, "Why?" She responded without hesitation, "Because no one deserves to be alone or to feel unwanted. Because you have a fire in those eyes that deserves to be nurtured. But mainly it's because you remind me of someone I knew in another life."

As the tears start to roll down his little face, he nods and says, "Okay, I'll go with you. But who are you?"

Toni laughs out loud and says with what could only be described as a joyful smile on her face, "Name's Toni Stark, munchkin. What's yours?"

"Peter, Peter Parker. You promise you won't leave me too?" His tiny voice breaks as he asks.

Toni pauses and lifts Peter so they're eye to eye, "I promise you with everything I am, Peter." Toni barely manages finish her sentence before Peter latches onto her with an iron grip and just sobs. Toni, after realizing his tears were happy tears from relief, just holds his trembling body. Toni swore with everything she had in that moment that this little boy would be protected and loved, even if it killed her. And Peter? Well, he knew he would be alright.

After all, Peter Parker was _lucky_.


	2. A Phoenix's Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Damnit, I really need to learn to say no to super soldiers and munchkins. . ."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhh. . . so first, HI HELLO I MISSED THIS PLATFORM SO MUCH.  
> Second, I know it has been a super duper HOT minute since I posted the first chapter but I'm totally going to pull the classic excuse and blame that on life. （；^ω^）  
> Short rundown so you don't think I'm lying just because I don't want to admit its cuz I'm lazy:  
> = became an aunt  
> = graduated high school early with an honors diploma (no i'm not that smart, just took the right classes at the right time)  
> = applied and got accepted to college  
> = currently working three jobs cuz my car brakes a lot and college is EXPENSIVEEEEEEEE ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ  
> = holy crap I need sleep but don't have time for it  
> = have mono (curse you Ginger) (╬ಠ益ಠ)  
> = too busy whining about how much I need sleep へ(´д｀へ)  
> = really I just had writer's block and wasn't happy with anything I had written ヽ(ﾟ∀｡)ﾉ
> 
> ****AS ALWAYS i'm still all alone so any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone****

She remembers the screams, the pain. She remembers the feeling of Howard’s hand colliding with her face. She remembers holding back the tears and her cries because she couldn’t,  **wouldn’t** give that monster the satisfaction. She remembers the rejection. How could she ever forget? It was burned into her skin with each cigarette butt he deposited on her ivory skin.  

 

Toni Stark vividly remembers the pain and suffering Howard Stark caused. She will never forget. 

 

But. . . 

 

She also remembers Jarvis. She remembers the trust and love that Jarvis gave to her. She remembers the feeling his hands on her face as he tenderly treated her wounds from her “father.” She remembers his kind words, his hands gripping her little body so tightly as she cried from another encounter with an intoxicated Howard. She will never forget. 

 

Jarvis’ memory is the only thing that’s keeping her strong right now. 

 

Peter was a handful, there’s no doubt about that. But surprisingly he’s the only thing keeping her sane while recuperating from the betrayal of Mr. Rogers. Yes, he’s Mr. Rogers to her now and forever. She’ll never be able to truly forgive him. She may one day be able to forget about all he did to her and move on from that, but forgiveness wasn’t even in the same universe, let alone on the table

 

Anyway, the issue she’s facing right now is that’s it’s the middle of the night and she’s coming out of the lab to get some sleep before she wakes up to feed Peter breakfast. She discovered very early on that he wouldn’t eat unless she’s there with him and he saw her make it. Back to present day and she’s standing in her dark living room where the TV is on and Peter’s sitting on the couch. More specifically he’s passed out in the lap of one James “Bucky” Barnes. Her first reaction is to summon her armor and rescue her  _ son _ from the soldier. But he’s too close to her baby boy for Toni to risk engaging the assassin. So instead she calmly walks into the room and sits down next to him. All the while adding “find out how the actual hell Barnes broke in withot her knowing” to her mental todo list.

 

What feels like hours go by and still no reaction. 

 

“Mr. Barnes.” Silence. 

 

She was about to just take Peter out of his lap when he finally replied, “Miss Stark.”

 

Never one to miss a beat she replies, “Why are you sitting on my couch in the middle of the night holding my son?” 

 

He shrugs, “He saw me. . . and wanted company.” He almost sounded impressed at being discovered. 

 

They just stared at each other. Neither wanting to be the first to move, nor give in. 

 

Toni just sighs while slightly shaking her head.  _ Am I really about to do this?  _ She looks at Peter and sighs even heavier,  _ dammit I am.  _

 

“Okay. Well, you can continue to stay here but I’m putting the munchkin to bed.” She went to pick him up and stopped as Barnes tensed. He had an iron grip on Peter. “It’s okay, he’s safe with me. I can promise you that.” He released Peter and Toni picked him up. Peter immediately  wrapped his body subconsciously around Toni, getting as close to her as he could. She held him tightly. Barnes just stared at her with an unreadable expression. 

 

“You okay there, Mr. Barnes?” 

 

“Not in a long time, Miss Stark. Not in a long time.”  

 

Shocked at the honesty and severity at his answer, Toni replied, “Next time, come in through the front door and I’ll see about getting you an actual bed to sleep in.” With that she turned around and walked Peter to her room to sleep. Despite leaving her door to him open, she still didn’t feel quite comfortable leaving Peter alone tonight.  _ Damnit, I really need to learn to say no to super soldiers and munchkins. . . _ she thought as she walked, with Peter, back to her room.

__________________________ The Next Morning _______________________________

 

Toni woke up to the smell of bacon and an empty bed. Confused, she quickly got up and walked into the kitchen to find Barnes cooking and Peter sitting on the counter giving Barnes instructions on how to make proper pancakes. “No, no, no. That’s too much milk!”

 

Peter looked up at the sound of Toni coughing, “Momma! Good mornin’!” 

 

She walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “Good morning, my little monster. You helping Mr. Barnes here with the pancakes?” 

 

“Obviously, he’d  **ruin** them otherwise!” Peter looked scandalized at the notion of ruined pancakes. 

 

She looked over Barnes, he was still in the same grey shirt and black jeans as last night, only this time he was without the boots. “Good Morning Mr. Barnes.” He nodded in her direction. “Don’t mind me asking but how long do you plan on gracing us with your presence?” 

 

Peter was the one who answered, “He said he’d go with us to the park today.” At seeing the look on Toni’s face, Peter replied in a small voice, “Can’t he go with us Momma?” He looked up at Toni with his eyes wide and pleading. 

 

Never one to deny that deadly weapon, she reluctantly nodded. “I guess. However, he is not going anywhere before taking a shower and definitely not wearing that! FRIDAY, prepare a bath and some clothes for Mr. Barnes if you would.”

 

The response was immediate, “Yes, Miss.” 

 

Barnes looked at her in wonder. A little uncomfortable with his attention, Toni decided to go in for the kill. “So, Mr. Barnes, if you’re going to be staying with us for a while, then I’ll need to know why you came here and not to S.H.I.E.L.D where the boy-wonder is?” 

 

Again, with the silence. Toni was starting to really hate the silence that seemed to come with super soldiers. 

 

Finally, he responded, “I just followed my instincts and ended up here.” He shrugs “Just feel safe here I guess.” 

 

Not quite satisfied nor believing, Toni simple nodded, “Well, then we’ll be needing more clothes and room for you, won’t we? FRI?” 

 

“Already taken care of Miss.” 

 

They ate breakfast to Peter’s excited babbling. After Barnes’ promised cleansing and Peter’s scrub down from the syrup disaster that always comes with pancakes, they finally headed to the park. Despite her best efforts, Toni was enjoying herself, but that was a rabbit hole she refused to go down again. So, she shoved her confusing emotions as far down as she could.  _ Not today Satan, not today.  _

 

_____________________________At the Park ________________________________

 

_ Well, fuck that’s adorable. _

 

Those words were all that came to mind while Toni watched Peter play with Barnes. She racked her brain for literally any other emotion but to no avail. 

 

As she watched Barnes teach Peter how to make a flower crown she was struck with that dreadful “ewwey-gooey” feeling. She was so distracted trying to squash that disgusting feeling that she almost missed  **him** . Damnit, she should have known he would show up here. He always loved running in random parks. 

 

“Bucky?”

 

Barnes froze. Toni was moving before she even knew it. She ripped Peter from Barnes lap and held him as tight as she could. Her “momma bear” instincts, as Rhodey likes to call it, kicks into overdrive. She will  **not** let this man near her precious son. Barnes seems to snap out of whatever trance he’s in when he notices how on edge she is. 

 

Mr. Rogers walks closer to them, “Buck, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you!” He then seems to notice Toni and the little boy in her arms. “Toni? What are you doing here? Whose kid is that?” 

 

Toni turns her body to block his view of Peter, “None of your damn business Mr. Rogers.” She gets some satisfaction from the way he flinched at her tone and how he’s addressed. 

 

As he takes a step forward and opens his mouth to retort, Barnes steps in between Toni and Steve. 

 

“Buck?”

 

“Back off, Mr. Rogers.” The emotions that flashed over his face were too quick for Toni to register. But she recognized that hateful look of betrayal when his eyes locked onto her. “I said  **leave** .” 

 

Slowly, he began to turn and run away. 

 

“Thank you, Mr. Barnes.” She finally loosened her grip on Peter when she couldn’t see Mr. Rogers anymore. 

 

Barnes just looked at her in consideration. “You went defensive as soon as you saw him. Why?” 

 

Toni, still a little shaken from the interaction with the coward, simply stared at him. Her mouth opening and closing, as if she was about to say something but decided against it at the last possible second. 

 

“It’s a long and boring story Mr. Barnes. However, thank you for helping. Even if it probably did more harm than good.” She finally replied. At his look of confusion she elaborated. “You didn’t see it did you? The look of betrayal and  **hate** on his face when you told him to leave? Not directed at you, hot stuff. No, that’s a special look that Steve Rogers saves for me and the Red Skull.” 

 

Barnes opened his mouth to ask when he was cut off by Peter, “Momma? Are we safe now?” 

 

Tony looked at her baby boy and smiled, “Yes, baby, we’re safe now. Don’t you worry munchkin, I wouldn’t let  **anyone** or  **thing** hurt you.” Once she received a nod from the little boy, she looked around and found what she was looking for. “How about we go get some ice cream? I feel like we deserve a large serving of Hulk Buster, don’t you?” 

 

Peter exclaimed loudly his agreement and with a look at Barnes, the makeshift group made their way to the ice cream shop. 

 

_______________________ Later that Night at the Tower__________________

 

After all the adventures of the day, Peter was knocked out by the time they made it back to the Tower. Toni, still a little wary of the super soldiers in their lives, put him to bed in her room. As she walked back into the living room, she spotted Barnes sitting on the couch in the dark. She studied him for a second then made up her mind. Turning on her heel, Toni headed straight into the kitchen. 

 

She walked up to Barnes and asked, “Mind if I sit with you?” He shook his head and moved over, making room on the already spacious couch. She sat down and put the box she had retrieved from the freezer in her lap, “Want one?” 

 

He looked at her in confusion. “What are they?” he asked.

 

Toni smirked, “Only the best dessert ever. They’re frozen Swiss Rolls. Just try it.” She handed him one. He warily took it and looked at her. Toni quickly realized he was waiting for her to eat it first, so she took a huge bite and smiled when he did the same. The look of enjoyment and wonder on his face made Toni’s heart do that gross tingly-feeling thing again. 

 

_ oh HELL to the NAW. Abort that thought right now damnit! Nu uh, nope, not doing this again--  _

 

Toni was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of Barnes’ voice, “Miss Stark, if you don’t mind, I’d like to hear that story now.” For a second, Toni was thrown,  _ what story. . .? Wait, don’t tell me he wants to hear about Mr. Rogers.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol sorry it's not the greatest update. . . 
> 
> but i promise that I have more coming that are actually good and get this: ALREADY WRITTEN 
> 
> ps the next chapter will explain what happened between Steve and Toni AND WILL THEREFORE CONTAIN some not so nice words about Captain 'Merica. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it’s a short start, I promise the next chapter will be longer


End file.
